Lovals
by Lady of the Round Table
Summary: Lovals lu-vals, n - a combination of "lovers" and "rivals"; Used to describe two persons who from being rivals became lovers. Read on. NarutoxSakura.
1. Prologue

Lovals

-A Naruto fanfic

(Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Unfortunately.)

**A/N: AU. A little OOC. This is written for _Damsel in Shining Armor_, a big NarutoxSakura shipper. Mentions of some villains and Sasuke. My first fic on NarutoxSakura. Hope to get good responses.**

* * *

**Lovals** (_lu-vals, n_)- a combination of "lovers" and "rivals"; Used to describe two persons who from being rivals became lovers.

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

"Hurry! She's coming!"

"Where? My gosh, you're right! Let's go!"

"Straighten up people! Shut up your awful singing for god's sake! Quiet all of you!"

In a flash, all students were lined up perfectly along the corridor with their heads held high. Their once bright, laughing eyes now flickered with absolute seriousness and fear.

One brave soul looked around, breaking the perfect formation while gawking at his classmates with awe.

"Uh, excuse me."

His neighbor glanced at him, apparently annoyed but surprised at the same time. His jet black hair is tied up and his expression is that of a 'let's-get-this-over-with-this-is-troublesome' look. Yet, despite his seemingly lazy attitude, he looks smart and serious. He tried to ignore him, but he kept prodding him.

He sighed. "What is it?"

"Why are we doing this? I mean…"

His neighbor looked at him incredulously. "Oh, you're new?" He nodded.

He sighed. "This is troublesome. But since you just transferred, I'll tell you." He took a deep breath. "We're being troubled to do this troublesome thing every beginning of the troublesome and boring semester to acknowledge the Student Council of the Academy, especially the President. Well, we are actually _**forced**_ to do this so that troublesome students will fear and acknowledge them."

He stopped talking and looked back at the newbie and was surprised to find him smiling.

"_Oh really. So even in this Academy, huh._" He thought slyly.

"By the way, my name's Shikamaru. Nara Shikamaru. Captain of the Shogi Club."

The newbie smiled. "The name's Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Shikamaru."

* * *

(A/N: This is done. Hope to see and read reviews. I hope I did a good job. The President of the Student Council as well as its members will be introduced in the first chapter. Enjoy!)


	2. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1: Revival of the Rivalry: Unexpected Encounter**

* * *

"Everything is in order, Ma'am. All students were reoriented and newcomers were given briefings. Last week's proposal to the Administration was also approved as of yesterday. Nothing amiss at all."

The girl stopped talking. She was very pretty, with her waist-length blonde hair tied up high at her head and her eyes sparkling with life. She smiled, "Well, 'amiss' and 'chaos' does not exist in your dictionary after all."

"Don't tease her, Ino. She'll snap at you if you don't watch what you're saying, even if you're her best friend," another girl remarked. Unlike the former who appeared to be lady-like, she seems to be a little tomboy, with her hair arranged into two buns and her eyes glittering with childlike innocence.

"What did you say, _Secretary_ Tenten?" retorted the girl named Ino.

"Am I not right, _Vice President_ Ino?" mocked Tenten.

"Uhm. Please stop fighting. The students will see you and think that you are not setting a good example," a soft voice said. The owner of the said voice has a long black hair and very innocent features. She looked down at her feet, making her look vulnerable and weak.

Tenten sighed. "Hinata's right. The students will not take us seriously if they see us fighting amongst ourselves."

"But seriously, Hinata, _you're _the treasurer. You should look more assertive if you want students to pay funds," Ino remarked.

Hinata blushed. "I-I'll t-try," she stammered.

"Well, even if the students don't pay, Hinata can shoulder the expenses! Don't force yourself, girl!" Ino said suddenly.

"_I thought you wanted her to be more assertive. Really, the way you change your mind easily…"_ Tenten thought.

Turns out, Hinata is actually the daughter of the one of the most powerful and influential families in their country, thus making her a big time rich kid. But she's the type who does not brag about it at all. In fact, students will not even know she existed if not for her genius and elite cousin, Neji, who shares the same family name.

"Going back, I'll make sure that we won't have a problem student this semester, President. All forms of discipline will be taught to all students, regardless of race or status," Tenten said seriously.

"Or civil status," added Ino.

Tenten glared at her. She turned her attention back to the girl walking in front of her. "Are you sure you can handle this?" she said uncertainly, "I mean, what happened last semester to Sasuke…"

"Sasuke is not a student here anymore. What happened to him is not the Student Council's fault or the Administration's. He joined the Tribe of Orochimaru Fraternity out of his own will and choice. It is stated in our rule book that those who joined a fraternity or a sorority will be expelled mercilessly from our prestigious university," the girl at the front said expressionlessly.

Tenten, Ino and Hinata shared troubled glances. It is a common knowledge that their President and Uchiha Sasuke, former student of their university and considered 'Einstein's reincarnation' were childhood friends. Students know him as a rule-abiding model student who takes everything seriously and excels in absolutely _everything_. His sudden transition from an elite student to a member of the notorious Tribe of Orochimaru Fraternity shocked everyone. Since then, Sasuke was treated like a pest—his existence from the school wiped clean and his name erased from the records. There were rumors that he joined a more powerful and a more notorious fraternity whose power and influence extends in over 40 countries: considered the 'Nazi Fraternity'—Akatsuki. But these rumors were not confirmed true.

The girl at the front stopped walking, causing the others to do the same. She faced them then smiled.

"I know you think I'm still not over about his expulsion. But don't worry; I've perfectly recovered over the break. Still, I would like to thank you guys. But I'm the President of the Council. I have to be strong and firm."

"That's Sakura for you! The perfect President!" exclaimed Ino.

Sakura smiled more brightly. Her green eyes twinkled with happiness over her friend's remark. Her pink shoulder length hair was the only thing that softened her seemingly stern and very uptight features. In her circle of friends, she is known as 'Black Lightning', due to her black belter status in martial arts. In her family, she is referred to as 'Dr. House' due to her knowledge in medicine and healing. But in her school, she is known as the 'female Hitler' because of her leadership and her ability to make others follow her every command. She is Haruno Sakura—the revered President of the Student Council of Konoha University—the top ranking university of the country.

"Uhm. We're nearing the students, President. I suggest we hurry," said Hinata quietly.

The Council walked briskly until they reached a corridor filled with students lined up perfectly. Sakura and her officers held their heads high (except for Hinata, who bent her head down) and walked at the middle.

"Good morning, Officers. Good morning President Haruno," the students said in unison.

Hinata blushed and nearly tripped. She's still not used to the attention given to her by her fellow students. Tenten smiled and greeted back. Ino smiled, flipped her hair and waved energetically. The boys nearly fainted. Ino is, after all, very beautiful.

Only Sakura didn't smile or wave. She merely gave them curt nods then looked straight ahead. When they reached the spot where Shikamaru (who dozed off) and Naruto stood, Sakura stopped walking. Her eyes widened upon seeing Naruto. Naruto, on the other hand, grinned manically at her.

"Well, well, well. Long time no see, Haruno Sakura," said Naruto, still wearing that manic grin on his face, "I see you are the Student Council President. You haven't changed at all."

Ino looked at Naruto then at Sakura, who seemed to be lost for words. She raised her eyebrows at Naruto and nudged Sakura.

"Hey, Sakura. Do you know this guy?" asked Ino.

Sakura did not appear to have heard Ino. Instead, she turned and faced Naruto.

"Uzumaki…Naruto," she said quietly.

Ino's eyes widened. "_So this guy is…the Uzumaki Naruto I've heard of? Sakura's rival in high school?_" she thought.

Sakura continued to stand and look at Naruto, as if she's convinced that he will disappear if she stared at him hard enough. Unfortunately, that will not happen…at all.

Students were now getting curious. Why did the President acknowledge a newbie?

Sakura, upon noticing the students' curiosity, regained her composure.

"What are you doing here, Uzumaki? Got expelled?" asked Sakura mockingly.

Naruto blinked. "Wow Haruno. After not seeing each other for a few years the first thing you ask me is whether I got expelled. You hurt my ego, man," Naruto said in fake disappointment, "But bingo! You're right! I just got expelled."

Sakura clicked her tongue. "As expected from the chief trouble maker and rule breaker way back… So, why this school? Only elite students can pass here," she said.

Naruto sighed dramatically. "My, my Sakura. You've forgotten already? I _**am**_ elite. You and I…we're both elites, remember? We're the so-called "Eternal Rivals" back in elementary. One can't exist without the other…" said Naruto.

"… and one will not be known if not for the other," finished Sakura quietly.

"So, let's resume our rivalry, shall we?" challenged Naruto.

Sakura glanced up at him. "Bring it on," she shot back with fire in her eyes.

* * *

(A/N: Yey! Finally! Hope you'll finish reading until the end. R&R please!)


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: On Detention! Uzumaki's Punishment**

* * *

It has been three months since Sakura and Naruto's encounter in the hallway. Being both true to their words, their rivalry resumed—and became more intense than before. Sakura stayed up late every night to read books for the lessons (which, upon Ino's observation, are still scheduled to be discussed the next term). She also became Hinata's constant companion in the library and Tenten's in the internet shop (who is actually an avid gamer). Her professors were awestruck at her newfound determination and praised her for it, especially Professor Gai who teaches Physical Education, saying that she's in the "springtime of youth and therefore she should live her life to the fullest." Even the University's Principal, the formidable Dr. Tsunade noticed that her skills as a trainee medic were improving "beyond her wildest expectations". Hearing all the compliments being thrown at her somewhat made her proud of herself—that even if she was busy as the Student Council President, she can still manage her time and maintain her grades. Yes, she should be proud of herself.

If not for that accursed, air headed Uzumaki.

At first, students were laughing at the "rivalry challenge" of the President and the newbie: saying that "that spiky blonde kid has no chance of winning against _the_ Haruno Sakura" and "he doesn't know what the hell he just entered himself into".

Apparently, they were all wrong.

Despite Uzumaki being constantly late for the morning assembly, a sleepyhead in _**every**_ subject and a cocky idiot who does nothing but annoy the hell out of students and professors, his classmates and the faculty have to admit that Uzumaki _is_ a pretty smart kid. He's always sleeping in class or playing games but he gets a perfect score come quizzes and unit tests. He answers all the questions thrown at him correctly and logically, not to mention correct his teachers' grammatical and spelling errors in the lectures. In a span of three months, Uzumaki Naruto's name became well-known, and Sakura's fan club accepted him as a "rival worthy of the sweat and blood of our Goddess". Of course, Naruto enjoyed every minute of his fame and constantly bragged about it to his "minions" (or in Sakura's perspective, "slaves"). It was clear that Naruto's intelligence didn't waver at all, as much as Sakura hates to admit it. Every day, she would see Naruto's smirking, 'I-told-you-so' face and lapse into deep "strategy conceptualizing" to defeat him. Her actions didn't go unnoticed by her friends.

"You know, Sakura, I think you're overdoing this," commented Ino during their regular meeting. "I mean, I know you want to settle a score with Uzumaki but you shouldn't push yourself too far."

Sakura glared at her. "I'm not overdoing it, Ino. And it's President Haruno to you when we're on a meeting," she snapped.

Tenten sighed. "You know, I agree with Ino, Sakura," she said seriously. Sakura's eyes widened. The world must be coming to an end if Tenten agreed on Ino's comment.

"I think… I think you should just leave him alone, Sakura," a quiet voice said shyly. Their heads turned towards the direction of the voice and saw Hinata with her eyes cast downward. When she saw the inquiring looks on everyone's face, she flushed and stammered.

"I—I mean, someday, maybe, his luck will run out and he will be punished. If—if now he can get away from trouble because of his cunning ways and wit, who—who knows, maybe someday… something will happen that will change him."

Ino and Tenten gushed about Hinata's comment, saying that "she's finally becoming more assertive" while Sakura remained quiet. Maybe Hinata has a point. Maybe someday, because of his rule-breaking and mischievous ways, karma will befall upon him. Sakura smirked.

"_May the gods have mercy on your soul, Uzumaki."_

* * *

"A-choo!"

Shikamaru looked at Naruto, who's wiping his mouth with a pink handkerchief (a fan probably gave it to him, he thought, what an eyesore. How can he use that?).

"Wow. Someone must have been daydreaming about me!" exclaimed Naruto.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "You wish. Maybe someone's cursing you," he said.

Naruto sighed dramatically. "You hurt my heart, Shikamaru."

"Oh shut up," he said.

"C'mon Shikamaru. Just leave him alone," a chubby guy commented. His nameplate read "Akamichi Choji". He is the Vice Captain of the Sumo Club and an Honorary Member of the League of Future Kitchen Masters. He may look innocent and kind because of his smiling face and eyes, but he has a tendency to flare up when called "fatso". Students (and bullies) became extremely careful when he sent five members of the Sumo Club to the hospital one day and wrecked (or should we say, nearly destroyed) the Club's headquarters.

"Choji's right. Let him fantasize about his fan girls who became my girl friends in the past," teased another. His nameplate read "Inuzuka Kiba". He has sharp features and a bossy aura, which makes one think that he is a merciless bully. But rather, it was the opposite. He is kind and gentle with animals and has a way with dogs. It was rumored that because of this uncanny attachment to animals, his sense of smell is like that of a dog. This rumor was confirmed true when he found the location of a missing student by "tracking down his scent". Since then, Kiba has been called by the Itinerary Committee every time an item is missing.

"Really, the way you tolerate his fantasies. And you call yourselves 'college students'," reprimanded a guy with the nameplate "Hyuuga Neji". He is very good looking, with his long hair tied loosely in a ponytail. He is famous throughout the school as "Socrates the Second" because of his principles and philosophies in life. Quiet but intelligent, he is also known as "Silent Killer Neji"—he wins by not standing out too much. He is Hinata's cousin and Tenten's childhood friend and love of her life (though she would not admit it). He may look indifferent at times, but he is very protective of his cousin. Because of Hinata's status, she tends to get targeted by kidnappers and political enemies. His duty as an older cousin is to look after Hinata and make sure she is safe.

"Ahh Neji! The way you speak—you're taking everything seriously! Enjoy life while you're in the springtime of youth!" Exclaimed a guy with the nameplate "Rock Lee" exaggeratedly. He has a coconut husk shape like hairstyle with very bushy eyebrows to go with it. His eyes were blazing with fire as he chided Neji. He is known as "The Master" because he is the Captain of all martial arts clubs in the whole school. It is also a common knowledge that he idolizes Professor Gai and his teachings, to the point of following him every day and training with him every morning and evening.

All of them laughed at Lee's comment (except Neji, who glared daggers at him) but were interrupted when the guy on the corner wearing a hoodie (despite the heat) and sunglasses sighed. Naruto looked at him and raised his eyebrows.

"What is it, Shino?" asked Naruto, "is the heat finally getting on your nerves?"

The guy named Shino sighed again, "Actually, I've been trying to talk for a while now but you kept ignoring me, yet here I am, taking the trouble to tell you something very important."

Naruto and the rest gulped. Shino has this inclination to get all sulky and 'emo' when ignored. And it was hard to win him back when he enters that 'mode'.

Neji cleared his throat, "So Shino, what is it that you want to tell us?" he asked.

Shino shook his head, "Actually, it's Naruto I want to talk to," he answered.

Naruto sighed, "Well? Are the girls asking about me? Please tell them I don't go on dates after school, only on weekends. And my favorite food is ramen and I enjoy—"

Shino raised his right hand, "Stop right there, Naruto. It's true that a girl has been asking for you, but I don't think she cares about your personal profile," he said.

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed, "So, who is this girl who dared to ask for me without first finding out my favorites?" he demanded.

Shino looked at him hard, "Dr. Tsunade wants to see you in her office now, Naruto."

* * *

Needless to say, Naruto was extremely a nervous wreck the moment he entered Dr. Tsunade's office. He wouldn't admit it, but she was the only one who imposes fear on Naruto. This is because Dr. Tsunade and Naruto's private tutor, Jiraiya, were acquaintances. From what he heard from his teacher, Dr. Tsunade is the type who can destroy the entire school in a single punch. That's why when he transferred, he was careful to avoid making any contact with their principal.

Naruto fidgeted in his seat as he watched Tsunade who was watching him carefully. She stared at him with her eyes narrowed as she took in his appearance. _"He really looks like his father"_, she thought.

Naruto cleared his throat, driving Tsunade out of her reverie, "Uhm. Dr. Tsunade, you called… for me?" he asked tentatively.

Tsunade looked at him fully. She chuckled, "Well, whatever happened to the boisterous, self-proclaimed ladies' man? You look so scared, and I haven't said anything yet."

Naruto's eyes widened. _"Not good. She knew my secret,"_ he thought.

Tsunade got up from her seat, effectively catching Naruto's attention. She stood at the window and looked at the blue sky.

"Such a beautiful weather isn't it, Mr. Uzumaki?" she inquired.

Naruto raised his eyebrows. He looked incredulously at Tsunade's back, but answered nevertheless, "Yes it is, Ma'am."

She sighed, "To think that this beautiful day will be tainted by nasty news… don't you think it's a mortal sin, Mr. Uzumaki?" she asked again.

Naruto was getting more nervous by the minute, but he tried to maintain his calm composure, "I think so too, Ma'am," he said.

"But for the sake of discipline, it must be delivered, I believe," she said.

She turned around and faced Naruto.

"Mr. Uzumaki Naruto, I think it's about time to send you to detention."

* * *

"**WHAT?"**

Kiba and Lee couldn't believe what they heard, thus the loud and violent reaction. Choji's eyes widened as his potato chip fell on the ground. Shikamaru and Neji just sighed and gave each other "well-this-is-expected" looks. Shino… Well. Shino was not yet over from the "ignored treatment" given to him a while ago and was still sulking on the corner, muttering something along the lines of "always not listened to" and "supposed to be my friends".

Naruto sighed, "Yeah. You heard it right. I'm on detention. For this whole semester, until that woman is satisfied. She said she had enough of my crazy rule-breaking and laid back lifestyle."

"B-b-but Naruto! Of all people, why were you assigned under _her_?" exclaimed Lee.

Lee's comment garnered nods from everyone. Kiba, still not over from the news, commented also.

"I know Dr. Tsunade is a big stickler for rules, but for her to do this…" he trailed off.

"Well, there's nothing we can do, right? He has to live with it," said Shikamaru.

"But the most important question is," Neji said, "how will she take it?"

Everyone just shrugged.

* * *

Ino ran as fast as her feet could to the Student Council headquarters. The news she just received was preposterous, unbelievable and outrageous. And when news like this involves the council, she just couldn't keep quiet. Along the way, she ran into Tenten, who was also running like there is no tomorrow. They gave each other knowing looks and ran off in the same direction, towards their headquarters.

"Have you heard the news, Vice President Yamanaka?" asked Tenten.

For a moment, Ino balked at Tenten's polite way of addressing her. She concluded that anxiety and shock must have triggered her to become business-like.

"Is it that obvious?" Ino panted. Tenten nodded, "Anyway, we have to break it to her gently before anyone else could."

Finally, they reached the door leading to their headquarters. They looked at each other and gulped. Ino put her hand on the doorknob and turned it.

"Hello, Sakura! Tenten and I wanted…to…" Ino trailed off, her eyes widening.

"What's wrong, Vice President?" Tenten asked, "President Haruno, we received…the…news…" she also trailed off, taking in the scene before her.

Papers were scattered on the floor, chairs were overturned and the curtains hanging helplessly from the windows, torn and discarded carelessly. Ino scanned the room and saw Hinata on the corner, her eyes widened and her form shaking as tears run down her face.

Tenten went over to Hinata and led her out of the room, all the while pacifying her and soothing her with comforting words. She gave Ino a worried look before leaving the room. Ino knew that look. Tenten is telling her to do her job as the second in command. She heaved a sigh and entered the room.

Sakura was sitting on the leather armchair at the head of the table, facing the windows. Ino approached her carefully, stationing herself a little further from the chair before speaking.

"President Haruno, what happened here?" she inquired.

Sakura didn't answer. Instead she stood up and faced Ino. Upon seeing the wild expression on her face, Ino gasped. Sakura looked like she was about to kill, her eyes bloodshot and hard. Ino unconsciously took a step backward.

"_Not good,"_ she thought, _"It's been a while since I've seen her look like this. And that was when we found out about Sasuke joining the fraternity."_

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, "Vice President Yamanaka, have you heard? Someone is joining our council as a 'temporary member'," she said.

Ino gulped, _"Oh damn,"_ she thought, _"She knew."_

Sakura looked back at the windows and spoke again like she was just discussing the weather, "Dr. Tsunade said that this person will help us until the end of the semester. That's great, isn't it?" she asked in false excitement. Ino shivered involuntarily.

"Do you know who this temporary member is, Vice President Yamanaka?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Ino pretended to sound surprised and intrigued, "Who?"

Sakura spun around suddenly, anger and disdain gracing her features, "It's that damn Uzumaki. Uzumaki Naruto's joining the council!"

* * *

(A/N: Woah! A long chapter indeed! Naruto is joining the Student Council and Sakura's angry! Will this set-up have a negative effect on both parties? Or will this lead to something else? Read on to find out! Many thanks to those who read the first chapter and this. R&R please!)


	4. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3: Flustered and Confused: Sakura's Complication**

* * *

Hinata was still crying as she was being led at the garden by Tenten. She still couldn't believe that Sakura was capable of thrashing around like that when angry. Tenten, at lost for more soothing words, just rubbed her back and handed her a clean handkerchief. They didn't notice that they were nearing the spot where Neji and Shikamaru were, so Tenten was very much surprised when Neji suddenly showed up in front of them, with Shikamaru behind him.

"Miss Hinata! What happened to you? Are you hurt?" Neji asked frantically.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. _"Here we go again… Neji and his over protectiveness. What a trouble for poor Hinata," _he thought.

When Hinata didn't answer, Neji looked at Tenten accusingly. Tenten, knowing full well that look, immediately defended herself.

"Excuse me, Hyuuga Neji. If that's what you're thinking, I tell you that you're absolutely wrong. As if I'm going to make Hinata cry and upset. You know me better than that," she said defiantly.

Seeing the honest look in her eyes changed Neji's mind. To make amends, he asked, "So, what happened? Will you tell me?"

Tenten sighed. But as she was about to speak, it was Hinata who answered Neji's inquiry.

"I-I'm alr-right, Neji. Please. It's not Te-Tenten's fault. Tha-thank you fo-for your co-concern," Hinata bowed her head—a gesture of thanks, "I-it's ju-just… I fe-feel upset. I'm so-sorry, Tenten. I sho-should ha-have wa-waited for yo-you and I-Ino…"

Tenten shook her head, "No, Hinata. It was not your fault," she said firmly, "Sakura… she took it out at the wrong person. We—Ino and I—should be the one to apologize… for Sakura's behavior."

Neji looked at Tenten then at Hinata. "So you mean to say—President Haruno found out about Naruto already?" he asked.

Tenten and Hinata nodded their heads. Neji pursed his lips tightly. Shikamaru sighed, "Well, it's inevitable. If Naruto's going to work with you, she will know, being the President and all. But I was a little surprised at how she reacted. I'll understand if it's Ino who's going to thrash around, but Haruno? That's…a little unimaginable," he said.

"That's how Sakura is when angry. Right now, only Ino can make her see sense," Tenten said seriously, "Those two… understand each other more than anyone else."

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the Student Council headquarters, Ino was still trying to pacify the angered Sakura. She knew that her friend wouldn't listen to anyone except her. So in order to avoid casualties (which includes the whole room), she tried her best to cool her down. Incidentally, some idiot in the school radio station started playing the song "Fix You", which can be heard all over the school _("Damn. Is it lunch already? The clubhouse sandwiches…oh never mind,"_ Ino thought sadly).

"Sakura?" Ino asked tentatively, careful not to awaken her "inner demon", as she called it.

Sakura didn't respond. Her whole form is still shaking with anger. This time, annoyance and desperation took hold of Ino. She took a deep breath and marched right in front of Sakura. Looking deep into her eyes, she raised her right hand and slapped her.

The impact of the slap must have awoken Sakura, for when she finally looked at Ino, her eyes were surprised and her trembling stopped. Grabbing her opportunity to scold Sakura while she's still dumbfounded, Ino shouted at her,

"WHAT THE HELL, HARUNO SAKURA? Are you going to sulk here forever? I mean, look around you… our headquarters…you messed it up! This room is supposed to be the symbol of the Council—**our **symbol. Look what you've done because of your unreasonable anger! And Hinata! My god, you know full well how Hinata is, and you shouted at her! I can't imagine what…what _trauma _she might be experiencing now! And how are you going to face Neji? _**Neji,**_ for humanity's sake, Sakura! Is this how you act? Are you really the leader of this school? If you're going to let your anger get the best of you, I suggest we look for another President capable of leading the council _**and**_ her emotions!"

Ino stopped, her breathing uneven because of all the shouting. Sakura, on the other hand, only looked at her, at lost for words.

Ino took a deep breath, "I know full well how much you resented Uzumaki, Sakura. From the way you spoke about him, I know he irks you. He's your rival that you want to beat since high school. You told me once that you wanted to prove that you can excel by doing your best and not simply relying on "inherited traits". But if this rivalry will make you do something that will hurt others and our friends, you should stop it!"

She looked imploringly at Sakura, who shook her head slowly, "No, I won't. Not until that moron sees my point. Who cares if he's the son of the Yellow Flash? Who gives a damn if he's born genius? What good will his intelligence do if he won't use it for others?" she's shouting now, "I told him after elementary graduation that I will prove to him that intelligence should be used for others, not for oneself! So what if he's popular? So what if he's always number one? No, I will not and never back down!" she said.

Ino nodded at her words, "That's what I've been waiting to hear. This rivalry should make you do your best to prove yourself, not harbor feelings of malice. If he's to be a temporary member of the council, so be it. Instead of sulking and giving yourself and others a heart attack, use this opportunity to make him see your point," she pointed out.

Sakura nodded vigorously, "Yes. I will," she said firmly. She closed her eyes for a minute, as if contemplating. When she opened them again, Ino was relieved to see that her eyes were back to normal—fierce and controlled. She turned and walked towards the window then spoke formally,

"Vice President Yamanaka," Ino straightened her back, "Let's welcome our newest member, shall we?"

Ino smiled discreetly. "Yes, I think we should, President Haruno. But first…" she said.

Sakura turned towards her with a curious expression. "But first?" she asked.

"I think you should apologize to some people first," Ino said seriously.

* * *

Hinata and Tenten were still in the garden, waiting for Neji and Shikamaru to return (as it turned out, Neji insisted on buying water for Hinata. Shikamaru tagged along because he said that he "can't stand being with women"). Hinata still had this far-away look on her face, Tenten on the other hand, kept sending pitiful glances at her direction.

The tense silence became even tenser when they heard the footfalls of Sakura and Ino. Hinata froze and started shaking. Tenten stood up and walked over towards them.

Ino eyed Tenten wordlessly before swiftly walking towards Hinata, leaving her alone with Sakura. Tenten stood straight. "Yes?" she asked stiffly. Sakura flinched inwardly. She heard Tenten speak like that before, when some students badmouthed the council, but she never used that tone to her or to their friends.

Sakura looked at her nervously. "I…" she started. She took a deep breath, "I came over to say I'm sorry. That was very irresponsible of me, I know. I never should have let my anger control me. Really, Tenten. I didn't mean to…" she trailed off.

Tenten looked at her for a while. Much to Sakura's surprise, she grinned. "Really. If you're not my friend, I would have shouted at you right then and there," she laughed, "Don't apologize to me. Apologize to Hinata. After all, she's the one who experienced your 'wrath of hell'."

Sakura looked over at Hinata, who was eyeing them nervously. She walked over to her and took her hands in hers. Hinata's eyes widened at the gesture.

"Hinata?" said Sakura softly, "I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you. I should have held back my anger."

Tenten and Ino looked on. When Neji and Shikamaru approached, Tenten shushed them. Neji was obviously displeased, with his eyes narrowed and the bottle in his hand about to burst.

Hinata shook her head. "It's alright. I understand why you reacted that way. Sakura really wanted to beat Naruto and I know how hard it was for you to accept him as a temporary member," she said.

Sakura smiled at her then turned around. She walked towards Neji and looked at him for a while before taking a deep breath.

"Neji. I want to apologize for the worry I caused you. I promise I won't make Hinata cry again," she said apologetically.

Neji merely nodded before walking off, with Shikamaru behind him. When they disappeared behind the door, Sakura let out a sigh of relief.

"Yamanaka, Tenten, Hyuuga," the three immediately perked up, "let's go. We have a meeting and some brainstorming to do." Sakura said seriously.

* * *

"Coome oon, Haruno! This is _booooooring…_"

Sakura let her eyelids flutter shut for a minute. It's been a month since Naruto joined them and obviously, everyday is a challenge. During the past weeks, Sakura's patience seems to have lengthened and her attitude towards Naruto became lenient. He, on the other hand, became a little responsible—he was no longer sleeping in class and wandering the school like he's some god. He's constantly turning down his fangirls' requests and spending time in the library with Sakura and Hinata. The weaklings in school and former heartthrobs were overjoyed at Naruto's unbelievable transition. Gone were the days when weaklings have to hide in the toilet and when the heartthrobs have to endure the pain of being turned down by girls who claimed to 'love Naruto and Naruto alone'. The bullies, on the other hand, were disheartened, for they look up to Naruto as an 'epitome of coolness' and 'jack of all trades, and the master of all'.

Naruto's gradual changing was not overlooked by the officials, who were stunned at how the Student Council was able to make Naruto into a 'better citizen of the nation'. They congratulated everyone, especially Sakura.

But even if that were the case, there were times when Naruto would 'break down' and lapse into complete idiocy—like this time.

Sakura opened her eyes. "Naruto, we have to finish cleaning the gym for the program. Otherwise, the Disciples of the Sistine Art Club won't be able to decorate it tomorrow," she explained.

Naruto gave her a look of pure annoyance. "I know that Haruno, but you're totally missing the point," he remarked while arranging the chairs.

She raised her eyebrows. "Which is? If you're asking about the maintenance, they went to…"

Naruto cut her off. "I know about the maintenance going at an outing. My point is… why are we the only ones cleaning?" he asked.

Sakura sighed. "Ino's dad came, so obviously she's spending time with him and Hinata has training with Neji today," she said.

Naruto sighed. "So you, who don't have a guy waiting for her, were left alone. What a pity," he mocked.

Sakura stopped sweeping. "You're right. I don't have a guy waiting for me. But I'm waiting for him," she said quietly.

Naruto froze. When he looked at Sakura, her expression was that of sadness. His blood boiled, but he contained it. "What? You're still obsessed on that pretty boy Uchiha? Where is he anyway? I thought he was studying here that's why…never mind," he said suddenly.

"He left. He joined the Tribe of Orochimaru," she said.

Naruto did a double take on that statement. "Wh-what? That idiot?" he exclaimed, "No way!"

Sakura just nodded, her tears threatening to fall. "Yes. He did. I tried to stop him, but…" she trailed off.

Naruto's eyebrows knitted together. _"That guy. We made a promise to each other. He broke it!" _he thought angrily.

His anger quickly dissipated though, not wanting to alert Sakura. He just sighed. "This brings back nostalgic memories. When we were kids, you're always waiting for that guy, yet he ignores you and leaves you. I often see you standing beneath the shed, waiting for him, even if it takes him forever to show up," he sighed again, "I may be your rival but I cannot stand seeing you losing it because of him." Sakura's head whipped towards him. "Huh?"

Naruto looked at her, not meeting her gaze. "Let's put it this way Haruno: you never got tired of waiting, even though the one you're waiting for never showed up. Someday, you'll find that someone is definitely waiting for you. He's just beneath the shed with you, waiting for you to notice him."

When he met her gaze, he was surprised to see her staring at him. "What?" he demanded.

Sakura blinked. "Nothing. It's just… I didn't know that you're capable of making others feel better, Uzumaki. I though you can only make people feel worse," she said, still stunned.

Naruto snorted, "Sorry to disappoint you Haruno, but I'm human," he shot at her sarcastically. "Let's finish this already shall we? The sun's setting _and _I'm hungry," he pointed out.

"Yes, I get it," she replied, rolling her eyes at his childish statement.

The sun cast a beautiful orange glow at the gym, illuminating the place. Sakura looked around and saw how the sun made the gym alive. She was about to tell this to Naruto when she was distracted by the warm glow being cast upon his figure. Her heart started pounding, thus making her feel nervous all of the sudden.

"_What's wrong with me? It's just Uzumaki. Get a grip Sakura. He's your rival!"_ she thought indignantly.

Naruto turned around, driving Sakura out of her reverie. "This place seemed very much alive don't you think so Haruno?" he asked.

Sakura, still speechless, just nodded her head. Naruto smiled at her. It was the first time Naruto spoke about something so casually and out of the blue. It was the first time Naruto smiled to her that way, without sarcasm—only genuine intent.

A lot of firsts happened that day. But it wasn't the first time Sakura felt this way.

With her like this, _history is about to repeat itself_, she thought bitterly.

* * *

(A/N: Wooh! Finally done with chapter 3! Watch out for chapter 4 to know what's going to happen. R&R please! Thanks for reading!)


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: The Confrontation: Uzumaki Unmasked**

_(A/N: Thanks for the reviews everyone! Sorry I took long in updating. But here it is! The latest chapter. R&R please!)_

While Naruto and Sakura were gazing at the beauty of the setting sun, another man in a distant place was glaring at it. His eyes narrowed when he heard the door open.

"So, are you ready yet? You'll miss the plane if you keep lingering," said a malicious voice.

The man did not respond. He simply turned around and walked past him without even glancing at his direction.

The other man simply let him go. But once he was out of sight, he smiled evilly.

"_You've become really emotionless, Sasuke."_

After their time together at the gymnasium, Sakura began avoiding Naruto. She won't stay in the same room with him, let alone talk to him. Whenever his name was mentioned, she'll stiffen and hastily mention another topic to discuss.

Her fellow student council officers began noticing her strange behavior and became troubled by it, especially Ino. She tried talking to Sakura but she simply waved off her concern, telling her that her "observations are ridiculous" and that she "has absolutely no idea what she was talking about". Ino, knowing full well Sakura's behavior when pressed with such issues, decided to let the matter rest. She talked to Hinata and Tenten about it and convinced them to wait for Sakura to be the one to open up the matter.

Of course, Ino privately talked to the guy in concern. Naruto never failed to notice Sakura's behavior and it bugged him. He and Ino had a shouting match at the garden, which was only stopped when Shikamaru and Neji dragged Naruto away. Ino, in all her patience, tried to convince Naruto not to bug Sakura, but "that yellow haired idiot didn't even want to listen!" she protested to Tenten when Naruto and his friends were gone.

Unbeknownst to them, Sakura was watching the heated exchange between Naruto and Ino. She felt guilty about it, since Ino has absolutely nothing to do with her issues on Naruto.

"_I'm sorry guys. I guess… I'm being foolish about this."_

The following week, Sakura resolved to voice out her thoughts to her friends. She realized, with a small sense of regret, that her attitude had them worried.

Needless to say, she was a nervous wreck upon arriving at their headquarters for their weekly meeting. She rehearsed everything she needed and wanted to say before going to bed, but she felt that she will forget everything once she's already seated. Yet, she maintained her calm façade. She is, after all, the president, and she cannot afford to look undignified.

When she opened the door and entered the headquarters, she was extremely surprised to find all her officers seated at their respective seats, patiently waiting. Sakura blinked. Usually, she was the first one to arrive, and then Hinata followed by Tenten, and lastly Ino (because according to her, she "has an image to maintain").

Upon noticing her, they all smiled.

"So, I guess we won't be having a meeting, right Sakura?" asked Ino.

"We do believe you have some explaining to do," said Tenten.

"Don't be hesitant Sakura. You can…tell everything you wanted to tell us," Hinata said quietly.

Sakura just looked at them, confusion clearly evident on her face.

"I… don't understand," she said slowly, "How did you know?"

Ino sighed, "We've known each other for quite some time Sakura. Hinata and Tenten are our classmates since freshmen year, while you and I grew up together. Of course we know if you've got something to say."

Tenten stood up and forced Sakura to sit down, "Now, spit it out. Why are you suddenly avoiding Uzumaki? Did he do something to you? You want us to talk to Dr. Tsunade?" asked Tenten.

"No, no. It's not like that," Sakura answered quickly, "And there's no need to talk to Dr. Tsunade either."

"Did he…break the rules again?" asked Hinata tentatively.

"No, he did not. As a matter of fact, he's pretty good lately," answered Sakura.

"So, if he did not do anything _wrong_, does that mean he did something _right_?" demanded Tenten, already frustrated.

Sakura opened her mouth to answer, but suddenly she was lost for words. Instead, she lowered her gaze and banged her head on the table.

"SAKURA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" shouted Tenten.

"Th—that's dangerous, President," said Hinata frantically, "You—you could have hurt your head."

Sakura's head shot up, "I don't know what's wrong with me! At first Uzumaki completely annoys me because of our rivalry. The next minute he drives me insane! He makes me totally confused! I don't understand! Why did I find him…_cute_ when he smiled at me last time? Why is it that I felt nervous all of a sudden?! I don't know anymore!" she ranted desperately.

All of her friends were gawking at her. For the first time, Ino and Tenten were lost for words. Hinata looked at her sympathetically.

Upon noticing their reactions, Sakura panicked, "What do I do?! What do I do?! I don't understand! The last time I felt this way was towards Sasuke!"

Tenten gulped, "Oh my… don't tell me…" she trailed off.

Sakura was on the verge of having a breakdown, "What?! Tell me please or I'll go crazy!"

Ino stood up and went over to Sakura. She knelt before her and held her hands. "Sakura, I think what you're feeling towards Uzumaki was the same with Sasuke's," she said carefully.

Sakura's eyes widened, "Meaning?—"she asked tentatively.

Ino searched her eyes carefully before saying, "Sakura, you're in love with Uzumaki Naruto."

Suddenly, the door opened and all of them looked up in alarm.

Sakura's eyes widened, "Y-you are…" she stammered.

"Naruto, would you stop pacing around? You're giving us a headache," complained Shikamaru.

Naruto just glanced at him before pacing the room again. Shikamaru just sighed and continued reading.

"I know how hard it is for you to keep calm but take into consideration the feelings of others, will you?" said Neji while putting on a pair of boxing gloves.

"It's not that!" retorted Naruto, "I'm trying to reason logically here! I don't know what I did to Haruno for her to avoid me!"

Choji opened a pack of chocolate and shoved one bar in this mouth. "Mfybjo, yngo dndt rohb nybvkng wrng," he said.

Naruto and the rest stared at him. "Would you please just swallow your food first? Only you can understand what you're saying," Shikamaru said.

Choji chewed his food quickly and swallowed, "Maybe, you didn't do anything wrong," he said, "I think the one who has a problem here is President Haruno."

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes and thought deeply. Suddenly he grabbed Choji's broad shoulders and grinned at him. "Yes Choji, you're right! Judging by the way she's acting, I bet she was confused," he said. Choji stared questioningly at him.

Shikamaru sighed, "Neji, tell me you understand. I don't want to do something as troublesome as explaining," he complained.

Neji nodded, "Naruto, you mentioned that Sakura's been avoiding you, am I correct?" he asked.

Naruto nodded his head vigorously, "Yes. That's why I've been thinking if I did something wrong lately."

"And you mentioned that the last time you spoke to each other, which was when you cleaned the gym, she looked at you differently, right?" Neji pressed.

"Y-yeah," Naruto answered.

"You also said that the look she gave you was like the look she always has for _him_," Shikamaru stated.

Naruto's features darkened. He merely nodded his head.

Shikamaru sighed, "You know, hiding your feelings from Haruno Sakura and keeping quiet about _that_ promise won't do you any good. You're only hurting yourself."

"Shikamaru's right, Naruto. Besides, I think you have a chance now," Neji said, smiling slightly.

Naruto's head whipped at Neji's direction, "What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Neji looked at him in the eye, "Haruno Sakura's in love with you Naruto."

Shikamaru grasped Naruto's right shoulder, "No need to hide your feelings, Naruto. We knew that you set up this rivalry thing to cheer up Sakura and make her forget _him_, even for a while. Who knew that the great Uzumaki Naruto knew kindness?" he sneered playfully.

"You also knew from the start that he left, didn't you? That's why you planted firecrackers at your former Headmaster's office at your former school so that you'll get kicked out and transfer here," Neji narrated.

Naruto's eyes widened, "H-how d-did y-you…" he trailed off.

Neji just grinned, "Don't underestimate the Hyuuga Family, Naruto. Shikamaru's family isn't the only one with an Intelligence Bureau," he said.

The door opened and Kiba entered, "I'm back. Sorry I took so long, "he said.

Choji sighed, "You missed all the drama, Kiba. I feel sorry for you," he said in an overly dramatic but mocking tone.

Kiba just shrugged, "So, what's up? Finally making Naruto admit his feelings?" he asked.

Choji grinned, "We're almost there," he said.

Kiba snorted, "C'mon Naruto! Just come clean and say it!" he exclaimed.

Naruto was now avoiding everyone's eyes, "What?" he asked innocently.

Neji gave an annoyed sighed, "Hiding it won't do you any good Naruto, or do you want us to _force_ you?" he threatened, giving emphasis on the word 'force'.

"ALRIGHT! I ADMIT IT OKAY? I'M IN LOVE WITH HARUNO SAKURA SINCE GOD KNOWS WHEN! BUT SEEING HOW IN LOVE SHE IS WITH SASUKE, I TOLD THAT BLACK HAIRED IDIOT THAT IF HE EVER MADE SAKURA CRY, HE'S ANSWERING ME! HE PROMISED ME THAT HE WON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT! SO I FREAKING LEFT THEM! BUT WHEN I HEARD THAT HE JOINED SOME NOTORIOUS FRATERNITY AND LEFT SAKURA BROKEN HEARTENED, I CAN'T **SIT STILL**! HOW CAN I?! ALL THOSE YEARS OF SEEING SAKURA WAIT FOR SASUKE AND THAT GUY NEVER SHOWING UP… IT'S GRATING MY NERVES! HOW CAN SHE LOVE AN IDIOT WHO ONLY THINKS ABOUT FINDING HIS BROTHER AND HAVING HIM LOCKED UP IN SOME DAMN PRISON?! I'VE BEEN SO STUPID! WHY DID I EVEN TRUST SASUKE?!"

Naruto breathed heavily. Everyone in the room was not moving a muscle. Kiba cleared his throat.

"You heard him, didn't you? Now, do you believe me?" he asked loudly.

The door slid open. Naruto's eyes widened in shock and his entire form was frozen. Words left his mind and his breathing became labored.

Standing on the threshold is none other than Haruno Sakura.

(A/N: Yes! Finally done with this Chapter! Please wait for the next chapter.)


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Einstein's Return: The Broken Promise**

_(A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Hyuuga Neji, who perished during the Fourth Great Ninja War. A real genius until the end. R&R please.)_

* * *

It's as if someone just dumped a bucket full of iced cold water at Naruto as he just stood there, staring disbelievingly at the wide eyes of Haruno Sakura. The others looked on nervously at the two of them—still frozen in shock. Unable to withstand the tension, Kiba cleared his throat.

"Ah. You see Naruto, I kinda fetched Sakura at their office so she could, y'know, talk to you. We've been having hunches these past weeks and well, we're your friends so we thought we…can…help," his voice fading upon noticing Neji's "why-are-you-saying-unnecessary-things-you-idiot" look. Choji turned away and began nibbling at his second chocolate bar. Shikamaru just sighed and approached Sakura.

"So, President Haruno. You heard the story. What can you say now?" he asked seriously.

Sakura slowly turned to face him, her eyes still wide with shock. She opened her mouth but no words came out.

Her reaction seemed to have awoken Naruto out of his trance. He slowly began walking towards the door, ignoring Kiba's protests. Once he was out of the room, he took a deep breath and said in a monotonous voice, "I appreciate your efforts guys. But I think you should apologize to Haruno. She must have been shocked."

"Oi Naruto, we're not done—" Shikamaru started saying, but said guy only ignored him and continued walking away.

Shikamaru sighed wearily, "This is just too troublesome. Why don't you try to be true to your feelings this time?" he asked Sakura.

Sakura stared at him, her previously wide eyes narrowing into angry slits, "What do you mean?" she hissed.

Just when Shikamaru was about to sigh again out of annoyance, it was Neji who intervened, "What Shikamaru means is that you should know how to distinguish 'infatuation' from 'love', Sakura," he explained, "Tell me, what do you feel about Naruto ever since this rivalry of yours started?"

Sakura lowered her gaze and stared at the floor, "At first, I was annoyed, you see. When we were in high school, he kept picking on me. I don't want to encourage him, so I kept quiet. But when I reached my limit, I sort of played along," she said softly, "I would study like a madman so I could beat him in every exam. I would stay in the library and read lots of books… It was really annoying. But as time passed by, I realized that I'm actually having fun. Before, I would spend my afternoons under the waiting shed and wait for Sasuke, even if he won't come. During the night, instead of sitting by the telephone hoping for Sasuke to call, I read in our library. Somehow, our rivalry brought the best out of me. It gave me the courage to surpass my current self," she said.

The room was quiet for a few moments before Choji spoke up, "You really like Naruto, don't you?" he asked innocently.

Sakura looked up alarmingly, "Wh-what made you say that?" she stuttered.

Choji smiled sincerely, his eyes shining, "Well, the way you talk about your rivalry…it's as if you don't regret it," he said, "On the other hand, when you mentioned Sasuke, you have this look on your face. It's like you're sad and bitter about something."

Sakura blushed furiously, "I-I-I never said that!" she retorted.

Kiba snorted, "I really think you're confusing your feelings towards Sasuke and Naruto," he said.

She tilted her head to the side, "What do you mean 'confusing my feelings'?" she asked curiously.

Kiba sighed in frustration, "I give up! Why are some women clueless? I finally understand how you're feeling, Shikamaru," he complained. Shikamaru just sighed heavily and shot him an "I-told-you-so" look.

Neji closed his eyes for a while before addressing Sakura, "What we mean is that what you're feeling towards Naruto was not the same as Sasuke's, contrary to what you may say," he added hurriedly upon seeing Sakura opening her mouth in protest, "Your feelings toward Sasuke are bordered on, you know, platonic and brotherly love, maybe infatuation also. In short, a simple…crush," he made a very disgusted facial expression upon saying the word 'crush', "Your feelings toward Naruto, on the other hand…"

"Are very complicated," interjected Choji, "Maybe you're feeling something for Naruto that you're not feeling towards Sasuke?" he asked.

Sakura nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I—I feel happy whenever he challenged me, even way back in high school. He makes me angry and frustrated and…content," she said with a smile on her face.

Kiba grinned like a lunatic, "See! You're smiling!" he said triumphantly.

Sakura blushed. Kiba roared in laughter. Before they knew it, all of them were laughing.

* * *

Naruto continued walking aimlessly in the school grounds, ignoring the cheerleading squad's calls and the Photo Guild's nags on him posing for the school's portfolio. He only stopped when he reached the garden, which was miraculously empty save for the birds chirping and leaves rustling. He sat down under the shade of a tree and leaned back. His mind was completely in turmoil and his heart was racing like mad.

"_What the hell are they thinking? Making me confess like that,"_ he thought, _"How can I face Haruno now?"_

He closed his eyes and sighed. After what seemed like hours, he concluded that the peaceful environment did little to put him at ease. He contemplated on skipping his afternoon classes and going home when someone behind him spoke, making him freeze.

"Wasting your time like this, you haven't changed, Naruto."

Naruto slowly turned. His expression of disbelief turned into rage in less than a minute. Hatred filled his eyes and his entire form shook in anger.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he spat.

The shadow obscuring the intruder dissipated so that the sun was illuminating his features. His eyes were expressionless and cold, but they narrowed upon hearing Naruto's venomous tone.

"Is that a way to greet an old friend?" he asked.

"You said it yourself: 'old friend'. Therefore, I am not obliged to act all nice to you," Naruto answered back, hatred still evident in his voice, "I'll ask again and give me a damn answer: What the hell are you doing here,"

The sun was now shining brightly, clearing the last bits of shadow lingering on the person whom Naruto addressed.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke just smirked, "Why? Am I not allowed to visit my former school once in a while?" he asked.

Naruto's patience snapped the moment Sasuke smirked. He ran towards him and grabbed his collar tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"You damn idiot! What the hell did you just do? Huh?!" Naruto snarled, "You promised, damn it! You promised that you wouldn't leave Sakura! What did I hear about you joining that Orochimaru fraternity?! Are you really out of your mind?! Answer me!"

Sasuke just eyed Naruto's shaking form passively, "I told you. I want Itachi to suffer in jail. Only the Tribe of Orochimaru can give me the power to do that," he answered.

His answer only made Naruto angrier. In a flash, he pinned Sasuke on the ground.

"ONLY?!," Naruto spat, "What are we, Sasuke, some forms of inanimate objects just lying around?! We're your friends! We can help you! Why join some fraternity who only wants your family's wealth and power when you have us? We're not going to ask something in return! You know us better than that!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously upon hearing Naruto's outburst, "What do you know?" he said venomously, "That..._murderer_ killed our parents so that he can get his inheritance! He fled to god knows where and your families refused to have anything to do with our family! Now, you're telling me that you're my friends?!" he pushed Naruto off of him and stood up.

Naruto fell on the ground and looked up at Sasuke. His eyes widened upon seeing Sasuke's expression: he was absolutely angry and serious.

"Naruto was right, Sasuke. You have us. Why did you leave?" a familiar voice asked, slightly shaking.

Sasuke turned around. His expression changed slightly from murderous to cold. He raised his eyebrows upon seeing Sakura standing before him, her hands clasped tightly and her eyes threatening to fill with tears.

Naruto stood up, "I'm sorry to ask this from you, Sakura, but please leave. We're settling something here," he said seriously.

Sakura eyed Naruto, her expression unchanging, "I hope you understand, Naruto, that I have something to settle as well," she said.

Sasuke drew a deep breath and addressed Sakura, "Well, isn't this surprising. I bet that you have killed yourself the moment you found out about me joining the fraternity. I'm shocked to see you alive," he mocked.

Sakura's eyes widened while Naruto growled. "You bastard…" he hissed.

"What are you getting so worked up for? She's the one who can't live without **THE** Uchiha Sasuke, right? To tell you honestly, Sakura, those times you were so…_obsessed_ with me, I cherished them. You were so agreeable that you will do anything I asked of you. But your constant tailing and hero-worship attitude that you always have ever since we're children are so annoying. Just imagine the peril of putting up with you everyday just so I can get information on Itachi's whereabouts. What a pain," he said.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears as she asked in a wavering voice, "Y-you mean to say t-that you—"

Sasuke smiled evilly, "Bingo, Sakura. I just used you for information. Funny that a smart girl like you can be so stupid to things like these. You became useless the moment your family gave up on the Uchiha case. That's why I left and joined a fraternity," he explained nonchalantly.

Naruto was boiling with anger and hatred. How dare he use Sakura and hurt her feelings? He will make him pay, oh he will.

Just when he was about to lunge forward and beat the living daylights out of Sasuke, Sakura suddenly walked up to him and slapped him—hard.

The intensity of the slap made Sasuke stumble back. A trickle of blood ran down the side of his mouth, which he wiped away.

Naruto looked at Sakura whose tears were cascading down her cheeks. Without another word, she turned her heel and ran.

Just as Naruto was about to go after Sakura, he turned and faced Sasuke, who stood up staggering.

"Remember this well, Sasuke. I will never forgive you for what you did to Sakura. Get the hell out of here or I swear I'll commit murder right here, right now," he said venomously.

Sasuke just smirked before walking away. When he was far enough, he called over his shoulder, "Take care of Sakura, Naruto. Tell her to stop looking for me. I chose this path, so there's no turning back."

Naruto turned around swiftly. But when he was about to confront him, he was gone.

* * *

_(A/N: Whew! Finally done. Sorry for making Sasuke such a big badass in this chapter. Two more chapters to go! R&R please!)_


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